Collapsible box or crate



Dec. 19, 1933. JOHNSQN 1,939,901

COLLAFSIBLEI BOX OR CRATE Filed Oct. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l InventorAmund t/hnsan Dec. 19, 1933. A, JOHNSQN 1,939,901

' COLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CRATE Filed Oct. 5, 1932 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventor Q m 3 Amund (jhnson By 2mm f1 llorncy Dec. 19, 1933 A. JOHNSONCOLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CRATE Filed 001;. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5IIIIIIIIIII IIIII 'I I I I I I III I I I I Inventor Am u 11d db/771.5011

flllorney Patented Dec. 19, 1933 PATENT OFFICE umrso STATES ooLLAPsIBLnBOX oRcRATE Amund Johnson, Gonvick, Application October 5, 1932. SerialNo. 636,406

' 1 Claim. (01. 21 1-47) This invention relates to a collapsible box orcrate which can be used for carrying eggs, fruits, and other articles,the general object of the invention being to provide top and bottom mem-.6 bers, each formed of a frame and a closure member, with means for soconnecting the parts together, that the top member can be raised abovethe bottom member or the two members placed together to form a chamberfor receiving the 'Icollapsible side and end pieces as well as a centerpiece, when such center piece is used.

A further object of the invention is to provide latch means forconnecting the top and bottom members together when the device is incollapsed position.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accommalpanyingdrawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding .parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure l is a side view of the device in set-up condition.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view with the top closure removed and with partsbroken away.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View showing "the device in lookingcondition and also showing egg fillers therein.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a bottom frame which has abottom member 2 attached to its under edges and the numeral 3 in-'dicates a top frame which has a closure member 4 detachably connectedwith the top thereof, the drawings showing this member 4 connected tothe frame 3 by the strips 5, one of which passes under a bracket 6attached to one endpiece of the frame i3 and the other of which passesunder a pivoted latch '7 at the other end of the frame. The two framesare connected together by the sectional links 8, the sections of eachlink being pivotally connected together as at 9 and also pivoted to theiupper and lower frames as at 10. As shown in these drawings, theselinks are connected with the end pieces of the two frames and to themiddle portions of the side members thereof, but the location andarrangement of these links may be such as to conform to the size of thedevice and to the use to which it is to be put. If desired, flexiblestrips can be used for connecting the two frames together instead of thelinks.

A longitudinally extending rod 11 is located a slight distance from eachside member of the top 7 frame 3 with its ends fitting in holes in theend pieces of said frames. A pair of transversely extending rods 12 areslightly spaced inwardly from the end pieces of the frame 3 and havetheir ends fitting in holes in the side pieces thereof and when acentral partition is to be used, a third transverse bar 13 extendsacross the middle portion of the frame .3 and has its ends fitting inholes in the side members.

A side forming member 14 has its upper edge I hingedly connected to eachof the rods 11 by the hinges l5 and end forming members 16 have theirupper edges hingedly connected to the end rods 12 as shown at 17. Whenthe central partition is used, this partition 18 has its upper edgehingedly. 76 connected to the middle rod 13 as shown at 19.

Thus when it is desired to set up a crate or box, it is simply necessaryto unfasten the latch members 20 which are pivoted to the end pieces ofthe top frame and engage the keeper members 21 on the end pieces of thebottom frame, and 'then move the top frame upwardly so as to straightenthe links 8 and then the side members 14 are swung downwardly and thenthe end members.

The end members fit between the side members. Of course if the centralmember 18 is used, this is also swung downwardly. Thus it will be seenthat I have provided a simple form of collapsible crate or box which canbe easily set up and knocked down and when in knocked down condition,the sides and ends as well as the central partition are enclosed by theupper and lower members as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The egg fillers can also be placed in the space formed by the top andbottom members as shown at 22 in Fig. 6.

The device is of such construction that a number of them can be piledone upon another as the device is very substantial and the side and endpieces can be made of solid construction though if desired, they can bemade of slotted construction. It is thought from the foregoingdescription that the advantages and novel features of the invention willbe readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

A box or crate of the class described comprising top and bottom framesconsisting of a pair of side membersand a pair of end members, seetionallinks connected to the exterior portions of said frames for connectingthe two frames together, whereby the top frame can be placed upon thelower frame or the two frames separated, a bottom closure memberconnected with the lower edges of the bottom frame, a top closure memberdetachably connected to the upper edges of the top frame, a pair oflongitudinally extending rods carried by the top frame and each havingits ends extending into the end membersof said frame and arranged closeto the lower inner corner of each side member of the top frame, a pairof transversely extending rods carried by the top frame and each havingits ends extending into the side members of said frame and arrangedclose to the upper inner corner of an end member of the top frame,whereby the transversely extending rods are located above the plane ofthe longitudinally extending rods, an end wall forming member having itsupper edge hinged to each transverse rod with its lower end contactingthe inner wall of an end member of the lower frame when the box is inoperative position and a side forming wall member having its upper edgehinged to each longitudinally extending rod with its lower endcontacting the inner wall of each side member of the lower frame whenthe box is

